Artists and Performers Wanted for Scarborough Fair Events

Artists and performers have until the middle of August to pitch their ideas for two major cultural festivals coming to Scarborough later this year.

Street performers and light artists will take centre stage across Scarborough this autumn and winter.

Dozens of new creative commissions will fund local, national, and international talent to produce public artworks and performances, with the deadline for proposals set for Monday the 17th of August.

Interactive light trails, street theatre, and community workshops will transform the town centre as part of the ongoing Scarborough Fair programme.

Scarborough Streets will run from the 10th to the 11th of October, bringing inclusive community events to various outdoor locations.

Organisers are calling for busking-style circle shows, dance, circus acts, and interactive installations.

A spokesperson for The Scarborough Fair said:

"We've found that street performances seem to be more successful if it's something that audiences don't necessarily need to stop and listen to in order to appreciate. For example, music or dance performances work well, but spoken word not so much."

Performers will deliver thirty-minute outdoor shows up to three times a day, with suggested stages including Crescent Gardens and pedestrianised areas along Westborough, North Street, and Aberdeen Walk.

The street festival will aim to increase visitor numbers to the town centre and improve the perception of the local cultural offering.

Following the street festival, Scarborough Lights will illuminate the town from the 11th of November until the 20th of December.

Funding will support both large and small light installations, with artworks planned for churches and other prominent buildings.

The call for proposals encourages physical constructions, projected work, and interactive augmented reality experiences.

Organisers say the pre-Christmas festival will not necessarily be entirely Christmas-themed, but will focus on showcasing affordable light shows and local creativity.

Meanwhile, extreme sports fans will flock to North Bay on the 19th and 20th of September for the Scarborough Extreme festival.

Surfing, BMX riding, skateboarding, and climbing will feature heavily, alongside graffiti art and community sports activities.

Professional athletes will demonstrate their skills, while local clubs will offer residents the chance to participate.

Organisers behind the Scarborough Extreme festival said:

"Catch a wave or two, do a backflip, then dance the night away. Scarborough Extreme invites you to be inspired and give it a go at our two-day festival."

The latest announcements follow the conclusion of Scarborough Art, which recently wrapped up a month of exhibitions, open studios, and workshops.

Organisers have revealed the nominees for their annual summer season awards, recognising the artists and venues that supported the creative community.

Nominees for Best Open Studio include Flat 3, Lynne Arnison, Shirley Sheppard, and Wendy Tate.

Exhibitions competing for the top prize are Tentacles of Terror, Time for Tea, Woman's Work of Whimsy, and Wonders of the Wild.

Blandscliff Gallery, Gallery 33, and The Curious Caboodle are all in the running for Best Art Venue, while Beckview Studios, Haus of S&M, and The Shakespeare Scratch Space have been nominated for Best Fringe Venue.

Theatrical productions up for an award include Another Rewrite, Besieged, Careless Talk, and The Last Bantam.

Comedy nominees feature Absolute Bus Stops of Northern Europe and Beyond, Cabaret of Curiosities, Divinity's Haus of Spirits: Medium Rare, and Forced Rhubarb.

Spoken word performances A Little Story About a Big Battle, A Word in your Ear, East Meets West, and Laughter Lines are also nominated.

Music awards will be contested by Scarborough Jazz Club, Songs for Scarborough 400, Still Life - Songs by John Pattison, and We See You: Remarkable Ordinary Women.

Workshops on bookbinding skills, memory rug weaving, seaside mosaics, and the Sunday Art School at Peasholm Park are nominated for Best Talk or Workshop.

Finally, street performances by Mally Jackson, the Scarborough Wellbeing Choir, Stephen Brailsford, and the Youth Music Stage have all been recognised.

Award winners, including the recipient of the Spirit of the Fair award, will be announced at the end of the week.